Sunday, July 27, 2014

Lose It App: Review of Week Three - Down a Bit More!

Before I start, here are the two previous reviews of the Lose It App. Each contain important feedback and thoughts. Just click on the week - Week 1 - Week 2.

I also want to offer this interesting article for consideration - Forget dieting: Speeding up your metabolism is the key to slimness. I have often said that postmenopausal women struggle with weight in a different way. Calories in, calories out isn't the whole picture. Over 3 weeks, I have only been over my caloric allowance a couple times - most days I am under and sometimes well under - and my weekly total has always been below my allowance.

I have also not missed a day of exercise and in week two and three, my bike ride have always been at least an hour long. A few days I have added in a late day 30 minute walk. Yet the weight loss has not been consistent. I lost 5 pounds the first week, circled up and down around the same weight the second week and then finally dropped another pound the third week. This puts me on track for two pounds a week, but now I need to firmly lose those two pounds each week to meet the date the app set.

However, all milestones are for celebrating. The 5 pounds lost from February to starting Lose it, combined with the 6 I have lost here make for 11 less pounds of fat to carry around. Pick up 11 one pound blocks of butter next time you're in the grocery store and that will number will be more impressive. So the body may not yet look a lot different, but the changes are actually enormous.

For week four I am looking at the following.

Exercise -

Bicycling is still my go to each day. The weather in Vancouver is unpredictable, but this summer it's been unusually beautiful and I have been able to ride along the dike in Richmond every day for three weeks. It's hard to burn the same number of calories in other activities and as a writer - I love how it gets me out of the house. Not sure what this will be replaced with when the weather changes. Driving to a gym just takes more effort.

Muscle development offers a bit of help in deal with that pesky postmenopausal metabolic slowdown. As a former dancer, the biking has a done a wonderful job of bringing back those long dormant calf and thigh muscles. My goal for this week is to add a small focus on my core and upper body muscles as well. Not sure what yet, but it will be simple and do-able. Hopefully I will have it figured it out by tomorrow.

Food -

While food should be a basic calories in calories out, the picture seems to be a little more complex
for a woman at my age, something I have long suspected. I already offered three eating tips in Week 2 and don't want to repeat myself here. So another I tested over the last three weeks is the impact of eating in the evening. I would say the cut-off time for consuming food is no later than 8 p.m. This is hard for me as I'm a night owl and it's sometimes a long time between dinner and bedtime, but after experimenting for a few days it does seem to make a difference.

While it is debated, I find myself agreeing with the concept of all calories are not equal. So try to make the bulk of your food consumption from healthier choices.You can have a little junk food or that glass of wine, but be careful to work it in earlier in the day. The best time would be before you exercise as that kicks up your metabolism. In the evening is when you're winding down internally, so the body just doesn't burn it off as easily.

That's it for week three. I am very anxious to see how my journey with Lose It progresses in week four. Hopefully part of the slowdown in weight loss is just one of those pesky plateaus and my body will start embracing a new low soon. Guess I'll have a better idea by next Sunday.

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Freelance writer, published author, editor and speaker..
"Everyone has a story to tell, it's just a matter of asking the right questions."
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